1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to privacy slats for chain link fences, and in particular to a unique notched slat for locking engagement with a chain link fence to provide superior privacy and durability.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traditional chain link fences are made of interwoven wires which link together to form diamond-shaped openings surrounded by the knuckles of the linking wires. Vertical and angled channels are also formed by the wires. Several different varieties of slats have been developed for insertion into the channels formed by chain link fences to obscure the view through the fence and provide a level of privacy. The most significant problem with privacy slats for chain link fences is holding them securely in place in the vertical or angled channels of the fence. Another significant problem is providing the best possible coverage of the vertical channels to maximize privacy and avoid unnecessarily large gaps between slats.
A number of existing chain link fence slats provide an elongated hollow body member having longitudinal fins (or wings or legs) along both outside edges, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,007,619 and 5,184,801. The body member fills the vertical channel and the edge fins engage the knuckles of the wire fence. The ""619 patent describes an additional bottom member having a channel into which each of the fence slats may be locked. To further facilitate engagement with the knuckles, many existing fence slats include strands (or fringes or cuts) along the outside edges of the fins, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,687,957; 4,860,998; and 5,775,676. While these inventions provide improved engagement with the fence, they can be difficult to thread into the vertical fence channels, and may still suffer from slippage and movement in the channels. The addition of the bottom locking member is costly, cumbersome and may be prone to failure.
It is therefore desirable to provide a simple easily inserted chain link fence privacy slat that securely engages the fence without the need for additional locking members.
The present invention provides a chain link privacy slat that is easily inserted into the vertical or angled channels of the fence and which securely engages the knuckles of the fence wire by providing an elongated body member having a pair of longitudinal fins along the outside edges thereof wherein at least one notch is provided in at least one of said fins for engaging a knuckle of the fence. The body member may be solid or hollow, and the fins are provided on opposite sides thereof such that they come into contact with the knuckles of the fence along the vertical channel. A plurality of slats may be provided in parallel positions, each having one or more notches in the same location for engagement with the same corresponding knuckle(s) of each fence channel. Up to three notches may be provided on the fin on one side of the body member near the trailing end. In an alternative embodiment, another notch may be provided on the opposite fin for engagement with a knuckle on the opposite side of the vertical channel. In other alternative embodiments, a plurality of notches may be provided on the fins on one or both sides of the body member; however, too many notches will make it difficult to thread the fence slat into the channel. Fringes or strands may also be provided on the longitudinal fins along with the notch(es).
It is desirable that each of the oppositely positioned fins of each slat provide maximum privacy protection. In the present invention, the hollow or solid body member has a roughly rectangular cross sectional area including a width and depth that fills a large central portion of the elongated chain link fence channel, the two oppositely positioned longitudinal edge fins extending out from the body member to the edges of the channel. The edge fins of the present invention are straight and originate from each of the shorter parallel sides of the body member. These fins may originate at (a) opposite corners of the body member where the shorter parallel sides meet the longer parallel front or back surfaces of the body member, or (b) at opposite positions near the center of each of the shorter parallel sides. Each fin extends outwardly at an acute angle relative to the adjacent shorter side of the body member and each fin is wide enough to reach the center of the wire fence knuckles along the sides of the channel. Each fin extends at the same angle until it reaches the plane of either the front or back surface of the body member, the fin on one side extending until it reaches the plane of the front surface of the body member, the fin on the opposite side extending at the same angle in the opposite direction until it reaches the plane of the back surface of the body member. This configuration provides maximum coverage between slats in the fence when each slat is inserted with its fins extending in the same direction as the fins of all other slats.
In the preferred embodiment, between one and three notches are provided on the same fin on one side of the body member, relatively close to the trailing end of the slat. In this way, most of the slat may be smoothly threaded into the channel of the fence ahead of the notch(es). Each of the notches (or notch) then engages one of the first knuckles (the first knuckle) that it comes into contact with.
In the embodiment having notches on oppositely positioned fins, it is preferable that they be staggered from each other such that the notch on one side engages a knuckle on a different level (row) than the notch on the opposite side. This prevents the formation of large gaps around the knuckles of a single given row.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a privacy slat for a chain link fence that securely engages the fence.
It is also a primary object of the present invention to maximize the coverage provided by privacy slats for chain link fences.
It is also an important object of the present invention to provide a privacy slat for a chain link fence having an elongated central body member and a pair of oppositely positioned outwardly extending fins with one of said fins having at least one notch therein for engaging a knuckle of the chain link fence.
It is also an important object of the present invention to provide a privacy slat for a chain link fence having an elongated central body member and a pair of oppositely positioned outwardly extending fins which extend outwardly at acute angles from opposite sides or corners of the body member.
Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed descriptions and the claims herein.